Our Team

I am the Head of Professional Development and an Associate Professor in the Centre of the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). I was originally born in Hong Kong but grew up in Ireland. In addition to my dual cultural background, I also have a dual discipline expertise in engineering and education; I have been playing an important role in enhancing engineering, business and science education. My combined expertise in these fields and multi-cultural experience enabled me to lead and conduct research on topics such as assessment, technology enhanced learning and the development and assessment of 21st century skills from east to west in the different disciplines.

I hold a PhD in Engineering from Trinity College, a postgraduate diploma and a MA in Higher Education. I have been an active participant in conducting engineering education, generic skills, as well as teaching and learning related workshops. To motivate participation, my workshops are always fun and highly interactive.

I believe in ‘Work Hard Play Hard’ attitude. I enjoy networking and organizing team building activities with my colleagues off work. At work, I am able to come up with lots of creative ideas and I love sharing them with my team members.

Life goals: Still searching

My proudest achievement so far: Lost 30 pounds of weight and becoming inspirational for others to follow!! ☺

Indulgences: My research; my workshops/seminars (I get a bit high presenting); discussion with my husband, my team and other smart people; investing in properties; romance

Staff

I work as a Research Assistant in the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). I have received a first-class honors BSc. in Psychology from the University of Hong Kong and will begin my full-time PhD in Education under Dr. Cecilia Chan in September 2016. My research interests lie in the area of experiential learning, motivation, and generic skills development. I am currently involved in a project on residential education. I am outgoing and enjoys dancing and playing badminton. I like traveling to different places and meeting new people.

Life goal: Enjoy what I am doing. Be myself and stay weird!

My proudest achievement so far: Travelling solo in United States, try to live like a local and fully immerse in their culture.

Inspirations: Interacting with different types of people can always triggers intellectual exchange that inspires me. It could be personal experience, life motto, thought, idea or dream. I always find it fascinating to see how people interpret things at different levels and from different perspectives.

Your favorite movie and why: Inside Out. It is more than just a cartoon movie as it brings message and teaches life lesson. It projects how our brain feels if they have feelings. There are five basic emotions portrayed in the movie which are joy, sadness, anger, fear and disgust. The animation depicted how the emotions affect us to encode, store, retrieve, and forget our memory. Thus, how these emotional memories actually influence our personality and characteristic. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend checking out Inside Out. I did quite a lot of reflection after watching this movie.

Current Research

Generic Skills and Virtues Development through Experiential Learning: Investigating Diversity in First-year Residential Experiences
Despite the long history of residential education at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), educational values of residential experience are still unclear. Residential education has the potential to provide distinguish and unique learning experiences for students to develop generic skills and virtues outside classroom. However, it has long remained as a kind of “black box” waiting for us to explore whether undergraduates can develop holistically through their first-year residential experience. By adopting The Student Involvement Theory proposed by Astin, this study aims to find the mediating mechanism which can explain how residential educational programs, and settings can possibly result in students’ achievement and personal development. This study will use both qualitative and quantitative research methods to investigate what and how generic skills are developed by living in residential halls/colleges for one academic year.

I currently work as a Research Assistant in the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). I am a graduate of HKU majoring General Linguistics. My research interests lie in the area of community of practice (CoP), generic competency and experiential learning. I love sports and food.

Inspirations: I love seeing new things and meeting people to be inspired anytime, anywhere. My favorite quote is “It’s not what we say or what we think that defines us, but what we do.”

Favourite movie: My favorite movie is called “Interstellar”. The storyline is that the world is about to end. The only way to rescue mankind is by flying through the “worm hole” for an interstellar travel, which has never been done before. It is my favorite because in terms of cinematic effect it is very detailed and pretty well integrated into the theoretical plot. More importantly it delivers a message that love is immeasurable and beyond any dimension of the universe.

I was born in Hong Kong but had lived in Vancouver, Canada for most of my life. I have two Bachelor’s degrees from the University of British Columbia, one in Cognitive Systems and one in Computer Science. I worked as a technical writer for several years after graduation, and went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Cognitive Science in northern Sweden’s Umeå University. I have now returned to my homeland to work as a Research Assistant in the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) at the University of Hong Kong (HKU).

Life goals: To continue to do meaningful research that contributes to society or the scientific community.

Proudest achievement so far: Having gotten out of my comfort zone and went abroad on my own to pursue my education and career.

Inspirations: People who are patient and determined, who keep relentlessly working towards their goals.

Favourite movie/book: A Clockwork Orange. Both the book (1962) and the movie (1971) are ahead of their times. The story by Anthony Burgess examines issues of morality, politics, and free will using powerful imagery, and Stanley Kubrick’s film depicts it with mesmerising colours and art direction.

I work as a Research Assistant in the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). My main responsibility at CETL is to provide administrative support for our research team members. I was born in Hong Kong, but grew up in Singapore. I spent a year at High School College in Canada before moving back to Hong Kong with my family. I majored in Fine Arts and minored in Korean Language for my bachelor degree at HKU. My indulgence in Korean pop culture and support from my Korean Language teacher have motivated me to pursue my master’s degree in Korean Language Education at Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.

Life goals: Live Simply, Dare to Dream, Be Grateful, Give Love and Laugh Lots

Inspirational quote: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson

I graduated from the University of Hong Kong and have a degree of Bachelor of Cognitive Science. My expertise is in software design and development. I love technology and have been working in this industry for 16 years. I am happy to join the team to develop a computer system which aims to improve students’ generic skills. I believe this will help them to acquire very useful life skills and good values.

Life goal: My life goal, generally, is to live a happy life (and so are the others), and specifically, is to try my best to bring something great here. I am also a vegan and interested in universal values like justice and mercy.

My proudest achievement so far: I have made a video conference platform for education and business purposes and sold the licenses to clients like HKSAR government and some tertiary institutions.

Indulgences: In leisure I like playing board games with friends. We have a lot of fun and sometimes I can understand others and even myself more.

Inspirations: I like reading and travelling to the different parts of the world. I love to see new things because this makes me feel so alive and I will always have new inspirations when I perceive from new perspectives.

Your favourite movie: My favorite movie is “Prometheus”. It talks about finding our creators in space by invitation but it turns out that they are indeed very cruel… Actually, there is so much for us to explore in this world.

I am a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science and obtained a Master of Social Sciences from the University of Hong Kong. After a period of practice as a practitioner psychologist, I moved to corporate jobs (e.g., at Cathay Pacific, Standard Chartered Bank, Hong Kong Jockey Club) on people management and development, and I completed my MBA (at University of Hull) and PhD (at University of New South Wales). Since 2015 I had worked as an independent consultant until I have taken up my current role as a Project Lead at the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL).

Life goal: I like the remark of Forrest Gump’s mum that life is “like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get”. My general life goal has been to make good use of my time, energy, capabilities and potential.

My proudest achievement so far: The selfless support of my wife, and the cheerful smile and loving hugs of my kid.

Indulgences: Music, chess games, windsurfing …

My sources of inspirations: Speaking with people from various walks of life, great movies …

My favourite book: “Thinking, Fast and Slow” (by Daniel Kahneman). The book encapsulates a great deal of wisdom.

After completing my secondary education in Hong Kong, I moved to Australia to complete my tertiary education. I hold a PhD in Linguistics and Master of Applied Linguistics (with honours) from the Australian National University, a Graduate Diploma in Communication Disorders from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Arts (Linguistics and English Language Studies) from the University of Melbourne.

I have a strong interest in researching language learning and identity and cross-cultural communication. As well as other generic skills, I consider intercultural understanding and awareness an emerging generic skill that is increasingly important for students to develop.

I have previously taught Linguistics and Translation Studies courses at the Australian National University and worked in the Australian Government Department of Education and Training for almost five years. In addition to my research role at CETL, I also teach translation course at the University of Hong Kong.

Life goal: I can be a workaholic so my goal is to be able to achieve work-life balance.

Proudest achievement so far: Giving up a permanent position in the government to follow my heart and passion. Some people thought it was a silly move but life is too short to be wasted!

Indulgence: I like spending an afternoon in a café, reading, writing and procrastinating… I think I probably got half of my PhD dissertation written in a café…
Since my husband and I bought our house in Australia, I have become very interested in interior design and addicted to buying home décor. I also enjoy travelling and hanging out with family and friends.

Favourite inspirational quote: ‘Words of wisdom’ gifted by a good mentor when I decided to leave my position in the government:
“In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don’t try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.

When you are content to be simply yourself
and don’t compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.”

Favourite food: Having lived in a city with not much Chinese cuisine for the last 10 years, I always miss anything ‘Hong-Kong style’. ‘Smelly tofu’ (with sweet and chilli sauce) is my favourite!

Perhaps the most accurate label for me is an “international local”: I was born here in Hong Kong, spent my childhood in Toronto, Canada, and came back to continue my studies and career. I obtained both my Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology and Counseling, with First Honors, and my Master of Journalism, with distinction, from the University of Hong Kong.

Life goals: To become a teacher in higher education, and to write a novel

Proudest achievement so far: Producing a documentary with a small team about ‘Bananas’ – third-culture kids who are Chinese but grew up in a Western country (myself included)

Indulgences: Manga/anime, videogames, bubble tea

Inspirations: I am driven by my two main goals in life, by my desire for more knowledge, and my mom!

Favourite book and why? The entirety of the Harry Potter series. I grew up reading the books and became completely invested in the wizarding world and its characters – the story taught me a few lessons on being a person and I love that the fan community is still vibrant and thriving, even years after the main series ended. (#RavenclawPride!)

Current Research

I have always been curious about how people experience learning, and how different these experiences can be among individuals and across situations. Having worked with the TLERG team for a year, I am now pursuing my PhD in Education under the supervision of Dr. Chan. My research is concerned with the learning experiences of university students, and will explore the relationship between deep immersion, focus and enjoyment – the state of ‘flow’ – and the development of generic skills. Drawing on Chan’s Holistic Competency Development model, the study will use a mixed-methods research approach and aims to contribute to the literature on generic skills development and curriculum design.

I was born in Hong Kong, and completed my primary education here prior to my schooling in Australia and the United States. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Davis. Before landing my position of Research Assistant in the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning at the University of Hong Kong, I trained children aged 3 to 18 years on their generic skills.

Life goals: Be positive and stay happy! I believe that every cloud has a silver lining.

My proudest achievement so far: Among hundreds of other IB Visual Arts students’ brilliant pieces nationwide in Australia, two of my artworks were selected to be a part of an exhibition that stopped around the country in most major cities for a month.

Indulgences: I love having horror movie marathon, intellectual conversation, and great food.

Inspirations: “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” by Marcus Aurelius

I am a senior researcher at the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning. I was originally born in Hong Kong, but grew up in Singapore. I moved back to Hong Kong with my family after completing my undergraduate studies in psychology at the National University of Singapore and my Masters in Japanese linguistics at Monash University in Melbourne. I am currently a part-time PhD student with the Faculty of Education, under the supervision of Dr. Cecilia Chan and Dr. Dennis Fung. My research interests lie in the area of experiential learning (especially on internship), student motivation, generic skills development and assessment.
I enjoys travelling and learning both Japanese and Korean. I like dogs and I have a Labrador retriever who grew up with me since I was 12 years old.

Life goal: To have lots of fun and enjoy life, while making a little contribution to the society through my work.

My proudest achievement so far: To be one of the speakers at The 7th International Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2016) held in Jeju, South Korea.

My PhD research project is on student learning through internship experience. Through the use of a mixed methods research design, my study aims to explore what do engineering students learn from their internship experience and how are their perceived learning outcomes influenced by the internship programme design, the host company/organization characteristics, work supervision and assessment. It is hoped that findings from the study can help us rethink the place of internship in the curriculum and inform the design of internship programmes in higher education.

I am a research assistant at the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). I grew up in Hong Kong, and spent four years studying my M.A. (Social Science) at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Through studying Sociology as my major, I learnt the importance of theories, as well as research methods (quantitative and qualitative), and finally chose thematic analysis to complete my dissertation in media study. Besides, I have been a student mentor for two years. These oversea learning and mentoring experiences have encouraged my interest and enthusiasm in higher education. I am now planning to study a master degree in HKU.

Life goals: Always learning and be hard-working. As Han Yu, a poet from the Tang dynasty said, “Diligence is the path to the mountain of knowledge, hard-working is the boat to the endless sea of learning.”

Proudest achievement so far: Living alone in Glasgow and survived under the pressure of assignments and injury.

Inspirations quote: The Master said, ‘When there is a preponderance of native substance over acquired refinement, the result will be churlishness. When there is a preponderance of acquired refinement over native substance, the result will be pedantry. Only a well-balanced admixture of these two will result in gentlemanliness.’ (Confucius, vi.18)

Favourite books and why? I love Chinese culture very much, and therefore all books about Chinese culture, literature, history and philosophy are my favourite. I enjoy reading and studying Chinese classics and hundred schools of thought.